The present invention relates to a coin bank. More particularly, the present invention relates to a coin bank which separates, sorts and stores five different denominations of coins.
Coin sorting devices are generally known. A user places one or more coins in a hopper or similar coin receiving location. A coin separating mechanism separates the coins and moves them, hopefully one at a time, into a coin sorting mechanism. The coin sorting mechanism classifies the coins by their diameter. Coins of a particular diameter, and consequently of a particular denomination, are directed into the appropriate one of a plurality of sorted coin storage containers. The containers are accessible in order that the sorted coins can be removed.
Coin separating mechanisms employing rotating coin separator plates are known. One such separator plate is in the form of a disk having four U-shaped notches formed in its periphery. Each notch is sized to be larger in width than the largest coin which is to be sorted by a coin sorter. The separator plate is mounted on a planar base of the receiver, the base being fixed to an upper housing at a slope of approximately 45xc2x0 from the horizontal. Coins tend to come to rest in the lowermost portion of the receiver with their faces contacting the separator plate or the base. When the separator plate is rotated, it will engage a coin with the edge of one of its notches and carry the coin upward to an opening formed in the base where the coin will fall through into an upper portion of a coin ramp leading to a sorting ramp. The ramp has apertures of increasing size through which the coins fall into sorted coin containers.
However, this known coin separating mechanism is not capable of sorting coins of five different denominations. Moreover, the known mechanism does not employ a drawer in which the coin containers are held in order to allow an easy removal of the coin containers from the housing of the coin bank. Another deficiency in known coin sorters is that the coins being sorted bounce or wobble, especially just upstream of the sorted coin containers. This reduces the coin counting consistency and accuracy of the known banks.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a new and improved five coin bank which would overcome the foregoing deficiencies and others, as well as providing better and more advantageous overall results.
According to the present invention, a coin bank is provided. More particularly, in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the coin bank comprises a housing including a coin receiving area for receiving unsorted coins and a coin sorting assembly mounted in the housing and located beneath the coin receiving area. A drawer is slidably mounted in the housing beneath the coin sorting assembly. A coin tube support is movably mounted in the drawer. A plurality of coin tubes is mounted in the coin tube support for holding sorted coins. The plurality of coin tubes is inclined in relation to a vertical axis for receiving sorted coins when the drawer is in a retracted position in relation to the housing and is approximately upright for removing at least one of the plurality of coin tubes when the drawer is in an extended position in relation to the housing.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a coin bank is provided.
More particularly in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the coin bank comprises a housing including a coin receiving area for receiving unsorted coins, a coin sorting area for sorting the unsorted coins, and a coin storage area for storing sorted coins. The coin storage area comprises a coin tube support, and at least one coin tube mounted in the coin tube support for holding a selected number of sorted coins. A reservoir is located directly above the at least one coin tube for holding at least one additional coin atop a stack of coins held in the at least one coin tube and completely filling same.
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, a coin bank is provided.
More particularly, in accordance with this aspect of the invention, the coin bank comprises a housing including a coin receiving area for receiving unsorted coins, a coin sorting area for sorting the unsorted coins and a coin storage area for storing sorted coins. The coin storage area comprises a coin slide area located beneath the coin sorting area. The coin slide area has a sliding surface with an upper end and a lower end. An aperture is located in the sliding surface lower end. A depending wall extends away from the sliding surface lower end and at least partially surrounds the sliding surface aperture. An aperture extends through the depending wall.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a method of sorting and storing coins is provided.
In accordance with this aspect of the invention, the method comprises the steps of conveying unsorted coins to a coin container and sorting the coins. A set of coin containers beneath the coin sorter is oriented at an acute angle in relation to a vertical axis, and coins are passed into the set of coin containers. At least one of the coin containers is filled to create a completely filled container. At least one additional coin is stored in a reservoir located immediately above a stack of coins held in the completely filled container.